Holiday greetings everyone,

If you're like me and the OG Odd Dog, Layla, this might your go-to December expression:

But on Monday, I received news that made up for all of 2025:

If you're not in the book biz, here's some context for why this is so exciting.

Kirkus provides reviews to roughly 6,000-8,000 traditionally published books, and thousands more indie books.

Of those thousands and thousands, Kirkus chooses 100 books across all genres to be books of the year.

Of those 100 books, eight were children's books this year.

You don't apply for this honor; it either happens or it doesn't.

For me, there are a few reasons this means so much:

1) The Odd Dog was reviewed in February, so for it to remain top of mind for that long is incredibly touching,
2) The other 100 books chosen were outstanding, as well as many, many others that did not get nominated. Here's the full list if you're curious.
3) This book would not have been possible without all of YOU!

As we head into 2026, I have a small gift. If you are part of this book or know someone who will love it, I'd like to offer a 25% off coupon on my website for The Odd Dog (and, well, anything else that draws your eye). The code is KIRKUS25 and you can find my book at https://storiesbyleia.store/page/bookshop.

I cannot promise it before Christmas, but I promise it will be the gift that keeps on giving.

You'll probably not hear from me before the new year, so please have a safe and happy holiday season and thank you for your incredible support! 

Here's to an even odder 2026!

Leia

Good afternoon everyone!

I was able to navigate the digital downloads platform and send you copies of The Odd Dog and a set of fun coloring pages as part of the Digital Dog package. 

The eBook is provided via BookFunnel, so you should be able to access your eBook using whatever platform you prefer, including:

If for some reason you didn't receive the link, here it is directly:
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/wcja2362bg

If you have a friend you'd like to share the story with, feel free to share this link; please use this as it requires an opt-in and helps me keep in touch with future readers.
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/7x5vqfmwt8

Please let me know if you have any issues accessing the eBook. Thank you again for your patience and support as I navigate fulfillment!

Have a wonderful day,

Leia

Greetings gentle readers!

Since launching The Odd Dog a few months ago, it's been a whirlwind of events and activities. Before I get into those, a quick announcement:

I will be distributing the "Digital Dog" rewards this week. There's been a little confusion about receiving this content; I sent everyone a flipbook version of The Odd Dog as soon as it was finished, but I've hesitated on this element for a few reasons:

1) The book is simply better experienced in person, particularly the double gate fold (which I affectionately call "the secret dog park"
2) I didn't want to just send you a PDF as that feels a little dull.

I've explored every option I can, and I've decided to split up the dog park like it is in Kindle. This isn't my first choice, but I think it's the best online experience. So look for that this week or early next along with coloring pages! I'm also thinking I'll do a free eBook promotion on Amazon around this time if you prefer Kindle.

Now-- back to Odd Dog. Since launching (Thanks to all of you!) we've been able to do the following with The Odd Dog:

I'm also honored to mention some of the critical acclaim for this book, including:

We're hoping to top $5,000 raised by the end of the year. We also have some REALLY exciting news to share, but that won't happen until December.

For now, I just wanted to check in. Look for the "Digital Dog" rewards coming in the next few days.

Thank you, as always, for your support.

Have a wonderful day!

Leia

Greetings everyone!

I've been working as quickly as possible to get books out to everyone. There are still a few left over, but I'm hoping to wrap it up shortly. I've heard so many lovely comments about the book and cannot thank all of you enough!

I'm doing things a little differently with this campaign. Now that I've mailed out The Odd Dog, I'm putting together the digital dog package. I wanted to think through something that would have VALUE.

Here's what you'll get:

That last one, is, admittedly for me, but if you can take the time to leave an honest review I would be SO grateful. The number of reviews on Amazon particularly affects your visibility, buyer confidence, etc.

As a side note-- I ABSOLUTELY want to normalize pics of people reading their copy to their dogs. If you're willing, PLEASE send me pics of your Odd Dog Squad enjoying the book. 

Thank you, as always, for your support, and I hope you're excited to help me bring Odd Dog into the world!

Have a wonderful day,

Leia

Greetings gentle readers!

This has been a tremendously long time coming, but I'm so pleased to report that I received the early copies of The Odd Dog yesterday! Here's a pic of Layla literally standing guard over them while we brought them inside for your viewing pleasure.

So what happens now?

I'm aiming to send deliveries by end of next week. I am reaching out to local backers to see if I can arrange pickup or drop-off, so look for my email.

If all goes according to plan, I'm hoping to have all packages traveling to you before April 1st (no fooling!). 

If you're willing, I would love to have you share your thoughts and feedback when you receive the book. I'm still getting it into circulation channels, so I may ask you to consider leaving a review on Goodreads and/or Amazon. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey. It has taken a little longer than I had hoped, but I believe this book is worth the wait and hope you do too!

Have a wonderful day, and I cannot wait to share the book we built together!

Sincerely,

Leia